The Effect of Collaborative, Online Augmented Reality Games on EFL Learners’ Speaking Performance and Communication Apprehension

Abstract

The use of computer games as a type of computer-assisted language learning has recently gained significance among EFL syllabus designers and teachers. One specific type of such games is augmented reality (AR) in which language learners can be immersed in a virtual environment that interacts with the real environment around them. Accordingly, this research studied the effect of collaborative, online augmented reality games on EFL learners’ speaking performance and communication apprehension. To this end, a total of 60 Iranian female EFL learners at the intermediate level of proficiency were selected by convenience sampling method and were put into two groups of equal size (30 learners in each group) for 10 sixty-minute sessions: the experimental group received ordinary book-based speaking activities together with collaborative AR gaming practices; the control group received only book-based speaking activities with no AR games included. The participants took a pretest and post-test before and after treatment sessions measuring their speaking proficiency and their communication apprehension level via the ‘communication apprehension’ section of the FLCAS questionnaire. The results of the study showed that the group who engaged in speaking practices and activities with the help of AR games significantly outperformed the book-bound group in terms of both speaking ability improvement and reduction in communication apprehension levels. Therefore, these findings imply that EFL syllabus designers and teachers need to include computerized technologies, such as AR games, into their language courses to boost the pace of English learning and reduce communication apprehension levels of their students.